Introduction
I wanted to share a thought with you today that came from an experience I had while watching the Argentina vs. Iceland game in the 2018 World Cup in that summer.
It’s all about the right person for the job, but more importantly, at that moment in time.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m a huge football fan, and yes, I’m an Evertonian (so feel free to share your thoughts, you Reds over at Stanley Park).
Let me walk you through the situation in the game and how it connects to your business.
World Cup 2018: Argentina vs. Iceland
The game was tied 1-1, and Argentina had been dominating.
Aguero had already scored for them, and they were pushing for more.
Then, a penalty was awarded to Argentina. The obvious choice to take it? Lionel Messi, right?
But here's my challenge: was Messi really the right person to take that penalty in that moment?
Messi had been flat throughout the match. Sure, he's arguably one of the best players in the world, but at that moment, his performance wasn’t up to his usual standards.
Aguero, on the other hand, was full of confidence after scoring and had been playing much better in that game.
Still, Messi took the ball and missed the penalty.
Was the Right Decision Made in That Game?
Here’s the point I want to make, just because Messi is Messi, doesn’t mean he should’ve taken that penalty at that time.
The team had other players, like Aguero, who were in better form at that moment.
The same goes for your business.
Let’s take customer service or key account management, for example. Just because you have someone in charge of managing accounts doesn’t always mean they are the best person for the job, especially when things aren’t going as planned.
Maybe you’ve got someone on the team who’s loyal, reliable, but the growth in that account is plateauing.
Shouldn’t you reassess and ask if the person handling it is truly the right fit? Just like Messi’s missed penalty, sometimes the obvious choice isn’t the right choice for the moment.
How Does This Relate To Your Business?
In business, as in football, there are times when the right person may not be the person who’s always in that role.
Sometimes, the right person is the one who is the best fit for the moment.
When assessing team performance or customer accounts, ask yourself:
Is the right person doing the right job at this time?
Don’t let loyalty, reputation or ego around the past glories blind you to the need for change.
If a key account is flatlining, it might be time to step back and reassess the situation. Perhaps someone else on your team could bring a fresh perspective and reinvigorate that relationship.
Don’t be afraid to shake things up if it means improving results.
Conclusion
The key takeaway here is simple: don’t be afraid to make tough decisions.
Just because someone has been in a role or on your team for a long time, it doesn’t mean they are always the best person for the job at that moment in time.
If you’ve ever had to make that tough call in your business, I’d love to hear about it. What happened when you made the change? How did it work out?
And equally, if you’ve ever made a decision that didn’t go as planned, let’s talk about that too. We all learn from both success and failure.
Always here to help you start, grow, and thrive. Let me know how I can support your next big move.
